Chord-controlling means for instruments of the lute type



Den. 13 192? 1,652,797

F. F; RIQHTER CHORD CONTROLLING MEANS FOR INSTRUMENTS OF THE LUTE TYPE Filed 1.7. 1926 A T TORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 13, 1927.

PATENT OFFIGE.

PAUL FREDERICK. RICHTER, OE NEWARK; NEW JERSEY.

CHORD-CONTROLLING MEAnsroa INSTRUMENTS on THE torn TYPE.

Application filed September 17, 1926. Serial Nc."136083,

type mentioned-are composed of: a hollow 3 body, an elongat'ed neck and" a headhaving dividual string.

' The strings are attachedtofthe body, at a point-opposite the necl -to extend I over. a bridge resting onthe bodyythence over the neck-to turning keys carried by the head and are vibrated by picking strokes of a plectruin or by a players finger direct.

Theseveral strings are tuned to produce definite tones which 'are -modifiedby being depressed to malts contact with slightly raised transverse ridges or :frets on the neck whereby di-Eterently pitched tones are produced. V In order to play such instrumentssatisfactorily it isrequired that the lingering, that is a suitable depression of the individual strin supon the proper fret, be accurately accomplished as otherwise discordancies ocmeans for: adjusting 1 the tensionvoi eachz incur destroying the harmonious ellect oi the music and ide'al fingering is an art difficult to acquire. i I

* Itis thereforeoneofthe objects ot'the present invention to provide a device -attachable-toor to be a part-sot stringed instruments or as a component part thereof as Will render'the'saine readily played and pleasing musical effectsproduced by a-player having little or no previousknovvled e of the 1 art.

A further feature is in the provisionof a device, small, compact and inconspicious, that may be readily applied to such-musical instrument, with relation to the frets thereon, over and parallel With the strings,.andwhich, in conjunction with a selective :lrey, will control the strings, causing them toproduce any definite chords upon being plucked.

These. several objects areiattained by the novel construction and combination of parts constitutino the invention-as hereinafter described and illustrated in the-accompanying drawing, tori'ning, a materialpart of: this disclosure, and in which "Figure l is a top planview olj'the assem led device.

k'Figure Pris a-bottomplan view of one, oi the string engaging bar elements indetail.

'Figu-re 3-is a :fragmentary sectionalv-iew of: one of the bars showing its spring controls at the :end thereof.

'ffFigure 4 is atransverse SGOtlOllitlNiBWOf a har, drawn to an enlarged-scale and showing. afragment of its" actuati-ngdrey, the broken lines indicating the parts after actuation.

Figure 5 is a perspective view ofanactu ating key in detail.

Eigurefi is a fraginentary perspective View of a barasengaged: by an actuating key.

Figures 7, 8 and 9 are partial views of a conventional stringed instrument neck, together Withdrets and strings, illustrating the application of the positioning ineans whereby thestrings are selectively depressed.

Figures 10, 11 and 12 are tra-nsverse sectional-views of the same showing theoperation of the bars andpositioningelements as depressed by selective keys.

The device consists of an open rectangular frame '15 secured by any preferred meanson the neclrX of a stringed instrument, over andparallel With the strings tour being shown, respectively 1, 2, 3 land 4:.

The frame *lacontains in its'short opposite sides,vertical slots ldinwhich are'slidably received thereduced circular ends or pintles 17 oiaplurality of positioning bars18, =19, 20 and 21 having triangular faces 18 3 18 and 18 etc, each provided'with string stops 18*,18h'. andlil arrangedat intervals along their lengths corresponding to theanid distame/between frets E,*F,1G.and H on the neck X.

.FllZECl. onthe pintles 17 at oneend only of the bars are rect angular blocks 22 1 adapted to seat. against theleaves23 of flat springs 24 secured adjacent theuilots 16 by pads 25 and so cause the bars. to return to their normal position after. they have been operated.

The pintles 17 at eachend of thebars are normally held at [he upper ends of thesslots 16 bycompression springsQS disposed inqthe slots :16 ,andthe, bars,arenormally held in the, positionshovvn in Figure 4: by reason of thespring =24 indicated in Eigure 3 or otheranalagous flexible retaining means.

, lllhestring. stops .18 7), 0. etc. are so arranged that each one can only comtact the particula string ,over which the bars are positioned, ata point intermediate specific frets as best seen in Figures 7 to 12.

These several bars are roc table on their pintles to selectively direct any of the string stops borne by them downwardly between any adjacent frets, and are also moved down in the frame by a series of control keys, one for each chord to be produced thereby alining the string stop or stops to engage with the desired string or strings.

These keys 27 consist of flat plates, their length being equivalent to the width of the frame 15 to enter and be guided by it and present on their lower edges perinutative features whereby the several bars may be pressed directly straight down and prevented from turning, as by triangular notches 28 engaging the angled edge of a bar opposed to the flat face 18 etc, or cause the bar to rotate into a position to present either of its other faces 18 or 18 as by projections 29 on the edge of the key.

As an example, let it be required to dispose the strings as in Figures 7 and 10, in which strings 2 and 4: remain normal and strings 1 and 3 are to be modified.

This is accomplished by depressing a specific key 27 downwardly in the frame 15. Thus the bar 18 will be rotated to bring the stop 18 into contact with string 1 between the frets E and F.

Simultaneously the bar 20 is pressed straight downwardly bringing the stop 20"" into contact with the string 3 between the frets F and G.

The key 27 as used in Figures 8 and 11 causes the bar 20 only to contact the string 3 between frets F- and Gr.

However in Figures 9 and 12 the key 27 as shown therein, causes the bar 18 to rotate clock-wise bringing the stop 18 into engagement with the string 1 between frets G and H, While the bar 19 is rotated counter clockwise to cause the stop 19 to engage the string 2 between frets E and F and the bars 20 and 21 are depressed straight downwardly to bring the stops 20 and 21 into contact with the strings 3 and 1 respectively between the frets F and G.

Thus it may be seen that the device as above described enables an operator to play a stringed instrument without any previous knowledge of string lingering.

It may also be seen that a small, incon spicuous and compact device has been disclosed for the purposes mentioned.

i-llthough I have described my improvements with considerable detail and with respect to certain particular forms of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to such details since many changes and modifications may well be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention in its broadest aspect.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 2- 1. In combination with a musical instrument having a neck provided with frets over which extend tuned strings, of a series of bars pivotally secured on said neck longitudinally one over each string, a series of string stops corresponding to said frets fixed semispiral] y on each bar, means for depressing one or more of said bars, and means combined therewith to partially rotate one or more bars to cause said stops to engage the strings adjacent certain of the frets predeterminately,

2. In combination with a musical instrument provided with frets over which are a series of tuned strings to be plucked, of a bar pivotally mounted on said instrument over each string, a series of string stops fixed in spaced relation to extend radially at different angles from said bar, means for 130- tating said bars to bring any stop thereon into predetermined position relative to the frets, means combined with the rotating means for selectively depressing said bars, and means for restoring said bars to their normal position upon release from said depressing means.

In combination with a musical instrument provided with frets over which extend tuned strings, of a vertically slotted frame fixed on said instrument over the strings, Jars having pintles pivotally and slidably mounted in the slots of said frame in register with the strings, said bars having angular faces, resilient means to raise said bars, other resilient means to return said bars to their normal position after actuation, a string stop set in each of the lower faces of said bars, said stops being spaced in conformity with said frets, and a plurality of depressible control keys guided by said frame and having permutative edges each representing a chord, said keys being used selectively to rotate and depress said bars in a predetermined manner.

1. In combination with chord controlling bars, a key to actuate said bars, said key having a plurality of predetermined notches and projections to cause said bars to move in a downward, clockwise or counter clockwise direction.

5. In combination with a musical instru ment of the lute type, a series of rockable bars, string stops on said bars, and keys to operate said rockable bars whereby the string stops may be registered with the strings of the instrument either singly or in combination.

6. In combination with a musical instrument of the lute type, a series of depressible rockably mounted bars each containing a plurality of string stops, and keys to actuate said bars, each of said keys containing chord formative combinations.

All

7. In combination With a musical instrubars containing position string stops, said ment of the lute type, a key controlled series stops being alinabie either singly or in series 10 of rockable bars, each containing string stops to form chords of the instrument strings, alinable with the strings of the instrument and a key containing chord combinations to 5 to form chord positions thereof When said depress said bars.

key is depressed. I This specification signed this sixteenth day 8. In combination with a musical instruofSeptember, 1926.

ment of the inte type, a series of rockab le PAUL FREDERICK RICHTER. 

